Where I Go: Morena Baccarin

The self-proclaimed wine lover and star of Homeland, which premieres its second season this Sunday on Showtime, loves decamping to the tiny town of Healdsburg, in California wine country. She shares her secrets—from breakfast burritos to beauty tips to vineyards off the beaten path—with VF.com.

To get away from it all, I go to . . . Healdsburg, in Sonoma County, California. It’s quiet, has great food, and has my favorite: wine. Lots of wine.

My favorite way to travel there is . . . I love a good road trip. And I have been known to sing cheesy 80s songs at the top of my lungs on a windy road when no one can hear.

My favorite place to stay is . . . There are several great B&Bs there that are incredibly charming, but last time I rented a house and that was my favorite. You can cook and drink your favorite bottle of wine from whatever vineyard you happen to taste at that day. We usually stop at Hog Island Oyster Farm near Point Reyes on the way up to stock up on some Kumamoto oysters. Another reason to have a house with plenty of room in the fridge! Alternatively, you can fill your hotel-room bathtub with ice and put the oysters in there. And you can play your music loud.

My favorite travel pastimes are . . . A cocktail pre-dinner with the New York Times crossword puzzle on my iPad (Mondays or Tuesdays—wouldn’t want to break my brain on vacation). Also, a good old-fashioned chat goes a long way. Often we don’t have time to stop and talk about random things when you are in a day-to-day routine. It’s nice to bring back the art of conversation.

When I’m in the mood for room service, my favorite order is . . . Ordering my husband to shuck some oysters. Which he is more than happy to do as we listen to some music and have a pre-dinner cocktail.

My favorite place to indulge in local cuisine is . . . I’ve eaten at some pretty great restaurants in my life, including French Laundry and Louis XV. But I must say, although those are great places, Cyrus in Healdsburg has some of the best food I have ever eaten. It’s unpretentious and friendly, and if you haven’t made a reservation a month ahead of time, you can sidle up to the bar. There’s also a great little Mexican grocery store that makes the best breakfast burritos you will ever eat outside of Mexico. The chorizo has been cooked days ahead of time and is sinfully flavorful. Makes for a great on-the-go breakfast pre-wine tasting! (Got to start early but with a full stomach.)

Upon arrival, I most look forward to . . . I love it when you have a lull in the day and you turn on the TV and a random movie is on that you either have never seen or haven’t seen in years. Like Coming to America or Misery or Moonstruck.

To stay in shape, my on-the-go fitness regime is . . . If there is a pool big enough for lap swimming, I will do that. But usually the most exercise I get is from walking and lifting a glass of wine to my nose and mouth.

My suitcase must absolutely contain . . . The Solution moisturizer by Envision Beauty. It’s a toner, moisturizer, and eye cream all in one so it makes for light packing. I also can’t live without a great cozy scarf.

When it comes to packing . . . I’m right in the middle. I suppose I could always pack lighter, but I like to have options depending on my mood. I try to pack versatile clothing that can be dressed up or down and I re-use things all the time. A good pair of boots is essential. I have a faded LD Tuddle gray leather boot that I will wear into the ground. It goes with anything; I can walk for hours in it, and it looks bitchin’ with a dress.

My favorite best-kept secret about Healdsburg is . . . There is a road called Dry Creek Road, which leads to all of my favorite California wineries. They are small, family-run places where the wine is only available at the winery. De La Montanya, Porter Creek, Matrix, and Everitt Ridge are some of my favorites. See you there!

When I’m in the mood for some retail therapy, I visit . . . This is not exactly the fashion capital of the world, but there are some cute bookshops and delis where you can sample wine and food and get great ideas for dinner.

Upon departing Healdsburg, I am most happy to leave behind . . . By the time we leave, we are pretty wined out. I can’t imagine drinking another glass for the rest of my life and the idea of drinking the five cases of wine we purchased seems an impossible feat. But it’s pretty amazing how quickly that feeling fades . . . like on the ride home.

From top: courtesy of Morena Baccarin, by Brenna Schlagenhauf/courtesy of Hog Island Oyster Company, courtesy of Everett Ridge Historic Winery, by Deborah Jones/courtesy of The French Laundry, courtesy of De La Montanya Winery & Vineyards.